Re: Discount off MSRP
If you are buying outright (no trade) then asking what discount you can expect is a valid question. The answer is whatever you can get. However, if you are trading in a boat, the number you are interested in is the difference between your trade in and the new boat. Remember, dealers buy wholesale and sell retail or they don't stay in business. You will never know what the dealer actually has invested in the new boat. You do have an idea what your boat is worth on the open market because hopefully, you've done your homework and have come up with that number. So if you at this point subtract the estimated value of your boat from whatever the dealer is asking for the new boat, you have a fair idea of what the retail-retail cost to you will be. You should also know and understand that the value the dealer gives you for your boat may actually be higher than you could sell it for yourself. If that sounds strange, it should because that extra value is coming from somewhere and it is coming out of the markup on the new boat so you are not getting a great deal. Think about it. If you bought the new boat outright for a deep discount, you could then sell your own boat at retail or close to it, and come out ahead. Most people don't want to be bothered and have no idea how to determine the value of their boat so they simply open their wallet and let the dealer walk away with the contents.
